This invention relates to the control of parking and, in particular, to a system of the type wherein a parking meter is located proximate a parking space with the driver of the vehicle depositing coins in the meter or using other payment means such as a debit card after parking a vehicle in the space. Typically, the meter will be mounted on a stanchion located at a particular parking space and a single stanchion is often used for supporting each meter. In some instances, the same stanchion may be used for supporting two or more meters with each of the meters on the stanchion being assigned to a single parking space adjacent the stanchion.
In an attempt to minimize cost both in terms of the number of individual meters required and the number of stanchions required, and in order to improve the street appearance, proposals have been made to employ the same system for controlling more than one parking space rather than requiring a single meter for each space. Telkor and International Parking Systems have developed housings adapted to be located on the street for controlling multiple parking spaces. These housings include display panels with instructions for designating the space being used and depositing required payments.
A multi-bay parking meter described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,942 illustrates another arrangement of this type. In this instance it is proposed that a single electronic parking meter be mounted on a supporting stanchion but that the meter be programmed to permit the control of two or four separate parking spaces. The standard display window for the meter would be used as the means for advising the driver of the status of the respective spaces.